The Rosie Project Essay Questions

Do you think Don's Wife Project Questionnaire could ever have provided him with a suitable wife? Why or why not?

Bianca is proof that this questionnaire would not result in a happy marriage. Although some of the questions were perfectly reasonable, such as requiring a nonsmoker (which is also a deal-breaker for millions of other people in successful relationships), some of the questions were so obscure that it would be almost impossible for any single person to tick all of the boxes Don needed them to. Bianca ticked more boxes than most, but the one element of finding a wife that Don and his questionnaire had overlooked is that falling in love is not scientific, and there was no box to tick for personal chemistry or unexplained attraction to each other. On the face of it, Bianca was far more suited to Don than Rosie is, yet they do not "click," there is no spark between them, and Don does not experience the thrill of her company in the same way that he experiences a thrill in the company of Rosie.

Why did neither Rosie nor Don consider that her stepfather might be her actual father?

The fact that both Rosie and Don overlooked this possibility is due largely to the fact that Rosie has a difficult relationship with him and so believes that her real father would be someone with whom she feels more of a bond and affinity. For his part, Phil was always a very good father, but every time he was not able to be perfect, this was seen by Rosie as proof that he is not really her dad. Rosie is critical of Don's Wife Project because she understands that people are complex and flawed; she knows that Don will not find a truly compatible partner based on his assumptions of what he thinks will make a good partner. However, in her Father Project, Rosie makes a version of the same mistake by assuming that a perfect father is out there somewhere. She thinks she can eventually find exactly what she is looking for without having to make any compromises or accept imperfections. Rosie and Don both have to learn that happiness can come from people who do not seem like a perfect match for our initial desires.

Should Claudia have continued to be married to Gene? Why or why not?

Although Gene maintains that Claudia is perfectly happy to be in an open marriage, Claudia's words and actions seem to contradict him. An early sign of her unhappiness is her putting hot chillis in his sandwich—ostensibly by accident, but most likely as revenge for his latest conquest. Gene is a sex-obsessed, shallow man who does not consider that his actions might be hurting his wife. He does not actually want to hurt his wife, and admitting that he is doing just that might mean that he has to give up other women, which he doesn't want to do. Gene also uses Don as an alibi which puts Don in a very difficult position as he considers both of them to be his friends. Claudia is becoming more and more unhappy, and Don rightly realizes that she is about to dissolve the marriage. In reality, she really should not have put up with Don's cheating and womanizing for as long as she has. Seeing Don gradually become braver and more open to changing and take risks might also motivate Claudia to reflect on whether or not she should also do some of these things.

How do Don's childhood and family impact his personality?

At first, it seems like Don only has a very distant relationship with his family. He speaks to them infrequently and does not display much emotional connection. However, the hints about Don's deceased sister Michelle imply that he may have had a strong relationship with her and been deeply affected by her loss. Don mentions Michelle as one of the few people to whom he has ever been close. It is later revealed that Don made significant changes in his life after he was publicly taunted and embarrassed by a family member during a birthday party. This story shows that Don feels abandoned by his family, and perhaps the reason he is skeptical about ever finding a partner is that it did not seem like his own family could love him. In contrast to Rosie, who makes her feelings about her biological father very transparent, Don is more guarded about his family and his history with them. Nonetheless, it is possible that part of the reason he eagerly helps Rosie is that Don also knows what it is like to feel disappointed by one's family.

Why are Rosie and Don a good match?

Rosie and Don are opposites in many ways, but like many couples in well-known love stories, their differing qualities end up being part of the very reason they make a good couple. Rosie is playful, spontaneous, and likes to live in the moment. This is a very positive influence for Don, who tends to easily become highly regimented and rigid. Rosie pushes him to take chances, try new things, and have more fun. Don is also a good influence on Rosie because he provides her with stability, security, and consistency. Rosie can be somewhat emotional and erratic, and she can easily change her mind and lose focus. Throughout the Father Project, Don keeps her on track and helps her to plan and carry out a long-term project in a logical way. In addition to their differences, Rosie and Don also share some strong similarities, which is part of why they are a good fit. They both value kindness and loyalty, and they do not care very much about what other people think. They are also highly intelligent and are interested in science and research. The combination of their differences and similarities makes Don and Rosie a very good match.